HOLLAND, MI – Beating Calvin twice in just over a week paid dividends for the Hope College women’s basketball team.

The Flying Dutch, who gained the automatic berth to the 64 team NCAA Division III tournament with a 62-59 win against Calvin on Saturday, learned on Monday, Feb. 25, they will host the first two rounds of the tournament this Friday and Saturday.

Hope, at 26-1, will host Wheaton College 22-5, in the first round on Friday. It is the 14th consecutive appearance for Hope. The other bracket has Ohio Northern (26-1) against Hanover (Ind.) (21-7). The winners play Saturday.

Times for the games both days will likely be determined Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Calvin will be on the road. The 23-3 Knights, who also lost to Hope 65-50 on Feb. 16, will travel to Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and on Friday face St. Thomas (Minn.), 22-5, which is in its 21st consecutive appearance. The other side of the bracket has host Cornell (24-1) against College of St. Scholastica (Minn.) (13-14).

Last year, the Knights lost to St. Thomas 83-72 in the sectional finals in Chicago. Likewise, the times of the matchups are to be announced later.

The first two rounds will be followed by sectionals the weekend of March 8-9.
Hope will host the final four at DeVos Fieldhouse on March 15-16.

Hope coach Brian Morehouse was cautious about his team playing at home.

"It is what you make of it," said Morehouse, in his 17th season. "I've seen our teams be heartbroken playing at home and also jubilation.

"You have to remember that, in the tournament, you play badly for five, six minutes in one game and you won't be playing the next day or next week."